In fuzzy logic systems there is a need to find the largest voltage produced by a set of M voltage sources. In pulse position demodulation there is a need to find which voltage pulse in a set of M voltage pulses has the greatest voltage value. In artificial neural networks there is a need to output a response depending on the strongest input. In processes involving comparison of a plurality of signals such as in: anti-lock braking, power distribution, synchronization, resource management, multi-regulation and multi-equalization (for example in blending of chemicals), fuel mixture control in multi-carburetor applications, color mixing control, automated guidance, balancing and dynamic balancing, tracking, dispensing, scheduling distribution of materials and resources, tuning, metering, stabilization, quality control, medical monitoring, and others there is a need to sort to some extent these signals resulting in differing actions. In contests, servicing, testing, arranging, and general purpose computation there is a need to find the largest voltage, find the next to the largest voltage, and even sort all of the M analog voltages produced by a set of M voltage sensors, sending units, or sources.
By analog to digital conversion, these tasks can be accomplished with a digital computer, and there are many well known maximum finding and sorting algorithms. Such algorithms are distinguished one from another by their computational complexity and the time required to sort.
We provide a parallel processing analog circuit and means to sort a set of analog voltage sources. The complexity of the analog circuit is proportional to the number of voltage sources to be sorted. The analog circuit is constructed of simple and readily available components making it easy and inexpensive to produce.
In the prior art there are analog circuits that output the maximum voltage from among a set of analog input voltages. However, these so called, "winner take all", circuits do not identify which voltage source produces the maximum voltage, and they do not sort analog voltage sources.